Motionless
by BeRuKa
Summary: An unknown substance causes motionlessness and ultimately leads to death. As it was spread and what happens when a team member is also affected.
1. Chapter 1

"Hey Max, what do you have?" McGarrett asks hopefully.

He had phoned the Medical Examiner as soon as they had been assigned the case.  
"It's all very mysterious, Commander," Max replies.

"The victim died of respiratory failure, but how it happened, I cannot say. There are no signs of illness or injury that would cause it."  
"Okay, well what about with the toxicology report?"  
"I'm still waiting for the results. But once I have them, I will call you."  
"Alright, thanks Max," Steve says, and hangs up.  
Kono comes into the room as he hangs up.

"How about we call it a day for now?" she suggests.  
Chin nods his agreement.

"Perhaps we should. This case isn't making any sense, but everything we have is a dead end. We'll have to wait for the tox results for another lead."  
"There has to be a link somewhere, dammit," Danny adds, frustrated by the lack of evidence.  
"We'll find it, Danny, but for now, let's just go home," Steve replies. The blond nods, and all four team members leave HQ and go home for the night.

~ ~ ~ H50 ~ ~ ~

The next morning, Steve studies the report Max gave him when he arrived at HQ. Danny, Chin and Kono, meanwhile, are at the smart table, going over the details of the two victims.  
"There is absolutely nothing to connect these two," Danny sighs.

"Nothing, not even the route they take to work. The only thing they have in common is -"  
"… Is that they both had an unknown substance in their blood," Steve interrupts him.

"Max gave me the results, and both had some kind of substance in their systems. He has no idea what it is, so the lab are running further tests on it, hoping to get a more detailed analysis of it."  
"Is that what caused the respiratory arrest?" Kono asks.  
Steve shrugs. "He doesn't know. He said he's never seen anything like this before. Maybe once the lab finishes this round of tests, he might be able to draw some conclusions from it."  
"But for now, all we have are a forty-year-old and a thirty-two-year-old, with no pre-existing conditions, just found dead," Chin says.

At lunchtime, the team goes over everything that they can find about the victims, but they do not make any real progress. Steve's phone rings as they are looking.  
"McGarrett," he answers automatically.

"Commander, I have the body of a nineteen-year-old woman," Max's voice comes through the speaker.

"She died on Molokai, and I believe she could be a third victim."  
"Are you sure?" Steve asks, frowning slightly.  
"Yes, I am fairly sure," the coroner replies.

"That is all I can say at this moment. I can tell you more once I have conducted the autopsy."  
"Okay. Call me as soon as you have any more information," Steve says and hangs up, before looking at the rest of the team.

"Dead woman on Molokai; could be our third victim."  
Kono stares at him in disbelief.

"Seriously? This is starting to get complicated."  
"Indeed. All our victims were completely healthy, and then just die of sudden respiratory failure," Chin summarised.

"When did she die, and when was she found?" They will now have more to examine to try and find the killer.  
"Max couldn't say, but he reckons he might be able to once he learns more," Steve answers. "Until then, let's speak to the families. Chin, Kono, you two speak to David Parker's wife. Danny and I will talk to Thomas Goodwell."  
Everyone nods and heads for the door. They head down to the car park and leave, heading to their locations.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Danny and Steve are at Cindy Goodwell's address. A few moments after they knock, her husband opens the door. His eyes are bloodshot and teary, and he asks in a thick voice, "What can I do for you?"

"My name is Detective Danny Williams, and this is my partner Commander Steve McGarrett. We would like to ask you a few questions about your wife," Danny says, as they both show their badges.

Goodwell nods and beckons for them to enter, moving towards the living room. He sits down in an armchair, as Steve and Danny sit on the couch opposite.

"How can I help you?" he asks uncertainly.

"Could you tell us everything your wife did at the weekend? We need to find out how the substance got into her body," Steve explains. Goodwell shook his head.

"I don't know everything she did over the weekend. I was on the mainland, at a conference, for the entire weekend. I only came back on Monday afternoon," he replies sadly.

"Was that when you found Cindy?" Danny questioned.

"Yes. I'm afraid that that's all I can say."

"Do you know if she saw any friends or neighbours? Someone who might know anything else," Steve asks carefully.

"I don't know. All I know of Cindy's activities is that she redid the garden bed and cut the hedge," Goodwell responds.

"We would speak on the phone at dinner. Last time I spoke to her, she said she was tired and she was going to go to bed." Danny nods, and he stands up, Steve as well.

"Thank you for your time, Mr Goodwell. We may have more questions later on. If we do, we'll contact you," Danny says, shaking the man's hand.

Goodwell nodded, and Steve and Danny left to return to HQ.

~ ~ ~ H50 ~ ~ ~

Back at the office, Chin and Kono are waiting for the two men.

"Did you guys manage to find out how the substance was given to them?" Kono asks hopefully.

"Nope. The husband said he was on the mainland for the whole weekend," Danny answers. "Did you manage to find out anything from David Parker's wife?"

"No, she said that they had both worked over the weekend – both had a late shift. When she got home, he was already in bed sleeping. The next morning, she tries to wake him up, and he's dead," Chin explained.

"Okay then, let's wait for Max's report on the third victim, and we'll go over it all again," Steve says.

"But we'll do that tomorrow. Anyone want a Longboard?" Steve's thought processes always seemed to follow an ADHD pattern.

"Sure, but only if you're buying!" Danny replies.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The next morning, Steve waits impatiently for Danny. Eventually, he's had enough and takes out his cell phone to call him, but just as he dials his number, the man in question practically run into the kitchen.  
"Hey, sorry I'm late," he apologises.

"I was on the phone with Grace." His daughter is in England with Rachel, visiting her grandparents.  
"It's okay; let's go," McGarrett replies with grin, knowing how much Danny loves his little girl.  
Steve slips into the driver's seat of the Camaro, as usual, while Danny got in on the passenger side.

When they are almost at the Palace, a young man fell on the car, running away from an older policeman.  
"Hey, stop, you bastard!" he called after the boy.  
Steve slammed on the brakes, bringing the Camaro to a stop, allowing Danny to take up the chase. He then presses down on the acceleration pedal to try and cut the boy off from behind. The young man sees the car rapidly approaching, though, and runs towards an abandoned and dilapidated building.  
However, he realises he won't get very far, and makes the decision to fight to get away. He picks up a piece of wood which was lying on the ground, and waits for one of the cops to appear. A little way away, Danny rounds a corner where he saw the boy disappear. But as he gets closer, the bad feeling in his stomach increases.  
Slowly, he goes around the building, holding his gun ready in his hand. As he rounds the next corner, Danny sees a shadow to the left. He raises his arm on instinct to deflect the blow. However, the blow throws him off balance and he stumbles backwards, dropping his gun as he does. Frantically, Danny rolls onto his stomach and reaches for his gun as he hears Steve's voice.  
"Five-0, don't move!"  
The man stops at the command and spots two guns aimed at him. He lets the bar slide to the ground and raises both arms. As he does, the police officer who had been chasing him originally arrives, completely out of breath.  
"You're Five-0? Thanks for the support; I'm too old for this," he pants, bracing his hands on his knees.  
"You're welcome. But what's this guy done to warrant a chase this early in the morning?" Steve asks, while Danny handcuffs the man.  
"I caught him trying to break into Barney's Store," the cop explains.  
Two police cars arrive, and Danny hands the man over to HPD. They leave to drive him down to the station for booking, while Steve and Danny return to the Camaro.  
As they walk, Danny raises his arm to run his fingers through his hair, and Steve notices a tear on the shirt, and when he looks closer, he sees some smeared blood.  
"You've got some blood there. Did he catch you?"  
Danny shook his head.

"It's nothing; just a scratch and a little bump."  
Steve stops and returns to where the attack took place, and lifts up the piece of wood.

"Did he hit with this?"  
"I think so. The bastard dropped it somewhere, though."  
Steve points to the wood.

"There's a nail in this. It must have caught you." He looks at the rusty metal and to the blood on Danny's arm.

"Okay, we are going to the hospital."  
"Steven, no, that's not necessary. It's just a scratch, and it's not bleeding anymore," Danny argues.  
"Don't argue with me!"


	4. Chapter 4

At this point, I would like to say thank you to Thrisy Fishy, which translates my story so wonderful. Thank you also to all who have written a review.

I wish everyone a Happy Easter.

**Chapter 4**

Fifteen minutes later, Danny is sitting on an examination table, while Steve is stood at the door to make sure that his partner does not do a runner.  
"Hello, I'm Doctor Yakani," the doctor introduces himself as he enters the room. "What can I do for you?"  
"I don't actually have anything that needs checking out, but my partner insisted that someone take a look at it," Danny says.

"But if you have something better to -"  
"Not right now, I don't. Show it to me." Dr Yakani examined Danny's arm and checked the bump on his head.

"Detective, are you experiencing any headaches, dizziness or nausea?" he asks to create an accurate diagnosis.  
"No, I don't. I'm fine," Danny insists again, glaring at his partner.  
"Well, I don't think you have a concussion, but should you experience any of the aforementioned symptoms, I want you to come straight back here," he warns the blond, and Danny nods, and the doctor goes back to examining the cut.

"As for this, it is superficial; it won't even need stitches."  
"See, I told you!" Danny crows.  
"However…"  
"'However'? What 'however'?" Danny asks warily.  
"How is your immunization status? When did you get your last tetanus shot?"  
Danny thinks for a moment, but Steve and Dr Yakani are sure they know the answer.

"It's been several years since I got my last shot; I don't know exactly when. Is that really necessary, though?"  
"Have you had a tetanus shot since you moved to Hawaii? Yes or no?" Steve asks in exasperation to shorten the process.  
"No, my last shot was in Jersey. I think it was when Rachel was pregnant with Grace; half a warehouse collapsed on top of me," Danny recalls.  
"That was ten years ago, Danny!" McGarrett barely refrains from yelling; he is so shocked that his partner is behind on his tetanus immunisation.  
"You are certainly in need of a booster," the doctor agrees.

"I'll send a nurse in to do it. Afterwards, you'll have to take it easy for the rest of the day."  
"I'll make sure he takes it easy, Doc," Steve promises.  
"Thank you, Steven; that's exactly what I need today," Danny retorts angrily.  
Shortly after Dr Yakani leaves, a nurse enters with a syringe.  
"Detective, if you could remove your shirt, please," she requests.  
"If I have to," he grumbles, and pulls his arm out of the sleeve. Steve stays at the door, watching from a safe distance before his partner can really get going.  
"You're not going to start one of your eternal rants because of a small syringe, are you?"  
"You know I don't like needles," Danny defends himself.  
"I have to say, Detective, I haven't had a patient who does," the nurse interjects, and with a skilled movement, jabs the needle into Danny's arm.  
"Ouch!" Danny exclaims indignantly.

"At least Hetty was gentle."  
"Hetty?" Steve repeats from his position at the door.  
"Head of NCIS in LA," Danny clarifies.  
"What were you doing in LA, and why did she give you an injection?"  
"This was while you were off chasing after Wo Fat. We had a case involving smallpox, and the trail led us to LA," his partner explains. Steve nods in understanding.

Shortly afterwards, the partners enter HQ, where Chin and Kono are impatiently waiting for them.  
"I spoke to the Molokai victim's parents," Kono starts.

"They're meeting us here in half an hour, as they are still on Oahu."  
"I'm going to go with her," Chin adds. "Oh, and before I forget, Max called; he said he's found something interesting."  
"We go to him at once, thank you." Danny replies.

"You guy stay here; I'll go see him myself."

Almost on the way, Kono watches Danny on the computer, and notices him rubbing his thumbs over his fingers.  
"What's wrong?" she asks him.  
"Nothing. Why?"  
"Because of your fingers. I say again: what's wrong?"  
"They just feel like they're asleep. They'll be all right again soon," Danny reassures her.  
Later on, Chin and Kono leave the office, while Steve goes into his office to make a call. Furthermore Danny rubs his fingers and wiggles his toes, hoping to get some feeling back into them, as he waits for Steve.  
"That was the governor; I need to go see him," Steve says when he comes in.

"Can you go see Max?"  
"Sure, go! I've been doing this!"

At the same time, his cell phone rings, and he gives McGarrett a signal before moving away to take the call.  
"Hey, Monkey!" he greets his daughter, watching Steve leave his office with a wink.

"Do you like it with your grandparents?"  
When Danny ends the call, he stands up to go down to see Max. But as soon as he takes a step, his legs give out and he collapses.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

In Ala Moana Park, Chin and Kono meet with nineteen-year-old Sabrina Walsh's parents.  
"Our sincerest condolences, Mr and Mrs Walsh," Kono opens the conversation.  
"Thank you for taking the time to speak to us," Chin adds.  
"What can we do for you?" Mr Walsh asks, thinking of his deceased daughter.  
"Tell us what Sabrina did and where she was." As she speaks, Kono reaches across the table and gently grips Mrs Walsh's arm as she cries.  
"Sabrina was very sporty; she was her team on a training weekend on Molokai. The trainer told us that she fell during one of the evening runs, but it wasn't bad. We still called, though. Sabrina thought it was only a graze, nothing we should worry about. After we spoke, she went to sleep, but the next morning… She didn't wake up," Mrs Walsh tells them.

Chin and Kono can tell she is still in shock.  
"Okay, thank you for your time. We don't want to hold you up any longer. Our Medical Examiner will explain any other details about Sabrina's death to us," Chin thanked them, and he and Kono returned to the car.

~ ~ ~ H50 ~ ~ ~

Danny lies motionless on his side, his phone less than a centimetre from his hand. However, he will not engage in the situation afterwards. All of his attempts to call for help fail miserably, since his voice is nothing more than a croak and besides, there is no-one nearby to hear it.  
A glance at the clock on the wall tells him that he's been lying there for an hour already.  
~Shit, what the hell is this? ~

~Why can't I move? ~

~The others should definitely come back, and they'll help me.~

~ My phone! Just a small little item; I have to get it somehow ~

Danny thinks while also trying desperately to move.  
With as much energy as he can muster, Danny manages to move his pinkie finger, but he can't get reach the phone. But then he hears a ring.  
The door! That's Chin and Kono!  
"H'llo... Ch-Ch'n... 'ono... " he stutters, calling as loud as possible.

~ ~ ~ H50 ~ ~ ~

"Lieutenant Kelly," Chin answers.  
"Lieutenant, it's Max. I just wanted to know when Detective Williams is coming. He had said that he wanted to come over immediately. I've found out how the substance was administered to the victims."  
"Actually, he should have already been with you ages ago. He took another call and then wanted to go." Chin is surprised and throws a fleeting glance towards Danny's office, but not seeing anything unusual.  
"Well, I've already waited long enough, and I also have other things to do," Max retorts furiously.  
"I'll try to reach him. If I can't get a hold of him, I'll come over," Chin decides, and hangs up.  
"What's going on, cuz?" Kono asks.  
"Danny hasn't been to see Max," Chin explains and dials Danny's number.  
At the same time, McGarrett comes over to them.

"What did you get from Sabrina's parents?"  
"Nothing, but Danny wasn't with Max. Chin's just trying to reach him," Kono tells him.

Then they all hear a phone ringing.  
"That's Danny's phone, isn't it? Did he forget it?" Kono wonders and goes into the room, spotting Danny's phone as well as the detective's prone form.  
"Oh, my God! Guys, get in here! Danny's still here!" Kono calls before kneeling down next to her friend.

"Danny, what happened?"  
"I... I ca-can't m've" Danny stammers an explanation, relieved at having been found.  
"What? What do you mean, you can't move?" Kono asks.  
"'Elp... me." That's the only thing Danny is able to say, before Steve and Chin burst into the office.  
"Call an ambulance, quickly! Danny's paralysed!" Kono orders.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

While Steve and Kono wait for news about Danny, Chin goes to speak to Max. Afterwards, he heads to the hospital, meeting his teammates in the waiting room.  
"Have you heard anything yet?" Chin asks anxiously.  
"No, not yet," Steve replies.

"What did Max have that was so important?"  
"He'd found out how the substance was given to the victims. All our previous victims received an injection in the arm," Chin explains.  
"That could mean they had es done voluntarily," Kono says.  
"No, actually; Max thinks that they didn't know that they were given it."  
"What do you mean?" Kono looks at her cousin in bewilderment, unable, for once, to understand what he's trying to say.

Chin explains his thoughts until Steve interrupts him.  
"All the victims had small injuries. Sabrina fell on a field path and injured her leg. Cindy cut herself while trimming the hedge and David Parker had an accident at work. They were small injuries, but they all had a -"  
"- Tetanus booster."  
Steve rises to his feet and starts pacing – a sure sign that he is stressed and worried – and rubs both hands down his face.  
"What if the vaccine was reversed and Danny got the injection as well?"  
At that moment, Dr Yakani comes into the waiting area, in which three worried faces look up at him.  
"Commander McGarrett," he greets the SEAL.  
"How's Danny?" Steve asks straight to the point.  
"We should go into my office." 

In the doctor's office, Dr Yakani gestures for them to sit.

"I can reassure you, Detective Williams is stable at the moment. However, we can't find out what is causing the paralysis, or where it's coming from. Every test and scan that we've done yielded no useful results. However, the results for the blood tests are not back yet," the doctor explains what he and his colleagues have done.  
"So now what? What can you do now to stop the paralysis? Will there be any long-term effects?" Steve asks what they are all thinking.  
"At the moment, we are keeping him under close observation, as he could only move his fingers very slightly when he was brought in. When I left him, he couldn't do it again. Also, he has quite some difficulty in speaking; I don't think he will be able to do so for much longer," Dr Yakani explains further.

"Still, Detective Williams is fully conscious. All we can do is make him as comfortable as possible, as, without knowing the cause, we cannot do anything. As we've been speaking, he has been moved up to a room in the ICU, where we can best monitor him."  
Just then, the door opens and the nurse comes in, and gives the doctor a piece of paper.  
"Thank you," he nods to her and carefully looks at the sheet.  
Steve exchanges a worried look with Chin and Kono as he views it. Dr Yakani frowns as he reads the list, and after a few moments, begins to explain.  
"These are the results for the blood test."

He pauses for a moment before continuing.

"All the values are normal, or at least, they are not greatly concerning. Except…"  
"An unidentifiable substance?" Steve interrupts, as he already knows it will be there.  
"Yes, how did you know that?" the doctor asks in surprise.  
"We're working a case exactly like this. All the victims had it in their blood."  
"Did they say what had happened to them, or how they received it?"  
"No, they all died of respiratory failure before they were found. One was alone and two died during the night, so the paralysis is first noticed, they can't do anything about it."  
"I was afraid that it would progress further. We will pay particular attention to his breathing, then. Do you have any ideas yet as to where this substance comes from?" Dr Yakani asks, hoping to know something about this to be able to help his patient.  
"No, we've only found out that every victim had a tetanus injection. We need to contact the pharmaceutical company as soon as possible, so that the vaccine can be recalled," Steve decides what plan of action they should take, in order to avoid any more victims.  
Chin and Kono have so far been quiet, but now are able to get a word in edgeways.  
"I'll call any health officials in connection to this and see if they can get the vaccines back," Kono says.  
"And I'll take a close look at the pharmaceutical companies," Chin adds.  
"Are we allowed to see Danny before we go?" Kono asks worriedly.

But at the same time, she feels the urgent need to do something, rather than see how much worse everything will get.  
"Of course, I'll take you up to him. As soon as you find out anything new about this substance, inform me as soon as you can. It's very worrying that so far, none of the victims have survived," Dr Yakani says, turning to look at the team.  
"Do you know anyone who's capable of producing something like this? It would require more than just a chemistry set and general knowledge about chemistry to make something like this. Since it is neither chemical nor biological, it definitely needs special equipment," Steve thinks about what would be needed to make this drug.  
"I think that it could come from a government-owned or private laboratory. For example, pharmaceutical company," Dr Yakani shares his thoughts as well, hoping to improve the approach the team should take in the investigation.


	7. Chapter 7

I regret to inform you, that it is temporary the last chapter. My translator has upcoming important exams and must prepare to, once it has everything behind it will go further.

Thanks for all review and follows, have a good time.

**Chapter 7**

A few moments later, Dr Yakani brings Steve, Chin and Kono to the ICU to see Danny. The doctor indicates which door leads to their friend.

"Take as much time as necessary."

The team enter the room, all three of them with an uneasy feeling. Because of something a long time before, Danny had already been in the hospital, and he'd had to fight for his life. But what they know so far makes this whole affair appear even blacker. Ultimately, there is nothing that could help their pal. A nurse stands next to Danny's bed, bending over Danny, so that he can see her better. Steve goes to his other side, while Chin and Kono remain at the end of the bed.

"Hi, I'm Susan," the nurse introduces herself. "Dr Yakani assigned me to the detective's care. I shall stay with him, as there's no way to know how this will develop."

"D-Danny… n'me 's… D'nny!" Danny tries to speak, which seemed to drain him of all his energy.

"Of course, Danny. Can I leave you alone for a few minutes? I'll be back shortly," Susan asks, and takes a step towards the door.

"Yes, of course. Go. We'll stay here with Danny," Steve says, and, like Susan, leans over his partner. Susan goes to the door, and takes a quick look at her patient, feeling that he is in good hands.

"Hey pal, we're doing all we can to help you as much as possible." Steve tries to be as optimistic as possible in such a bad situation. Danny looks at him with despairing eyes and feels that it doesn't help much.

"W… 'at?"

"Chin and Kono will follow a few clues as soon as they leave. They just wanted to see you first, though. I'm going to stay here with you, so don't worry; you're not going to be alone." Even if they don't have the right clues, Steve thinks it's good if Danny has that hope so that he doesn't give up Even if Danny can't move as he normally could, he is of sound mind and knows his colleagues well enough that they are keeping things from him.

"'Teve… te… te-ll Gra… Grace… Danno…"

"Stop it, Danny! You can tell her yourself!" Steve interrupts him in annoyance; he won't entertain the idea of losing his best friend. And the idea of telling his daughter is unbearable. "I… I'm t-t'red, 't've," Danny mumbles, as speaking is becoming more and more difficult for him.

"Okay, then get some sleep. When you wake up again, we'll know more."

"Hold on, brah," Chin says, knocking Danny's leg affectionately.

"See you later!" Kono adds as well, leaving the room with Chin. Shortly after Chin and Kono leave, Susan returns, and she sees that Steve has taken a seat and is sat next to the bed. His elbows are braced on his knees, and he has his face in his hands.

"Is he asleep?" she asks carefully, not wanting to disturb Danny.

"Yeah, he was really tired. We wanted a few minutes with him, but it was clear how hard it is for him to speak now. Danny asked me to tell his daughter that he loved her."

"Does that mean he's given up hope? And he's saying goodbye?" The nurse looks at her patient in concern, then back at McGarrett.

"Danny is strong, and a fighter. But he also looks at things realistically. Plus, he knows what happened to the last person who had this… thing."

"Dr Yakani told me about the others. Do you think you can find the one who did this? Even better, an antidote?"

"I really hope so," Steve replies.


	8. Chapter 8

So, my translator has now all checks behind and can now devote more of the story. Thank you so much that you're doing this for me. All others have fun while reading.

**Disclaimer:****I own nothing from Hawaii 5-0.**

**Chapter 8**

After some phone calls, Kono comes back to Chin's side, where he is standing by the Smart-Table.

"The main headquarters for the pharmaceuticals company that sold the vaccine is in Illinois, but there is an office here on Oahu. However, they don't have any projects that are similar to this substance. Otherwise, there are hundreds of companies that could manufacture something like this, if we don't take into overseas times," Chin tells her, sounding frustrated.

"What about you? What have you got?"

"The health authorities contacted everyone that had the vaccine and took samples."

"Okay, I'll call the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington; maybe they can help us further. But if they're not willing to help and give us any information, Catherine may be able to help us."

"If you are finished, we should head back to the hospital, right?" Kono asks almost impatiently.

~~H50~~

"Do you have anything new?" Steve asks, as Kono and Chin come into the room.

"All medical institutions have been notified about the substance, and the NRL will call back soon. They have to check their files first for anything like this," Chin tells him optimistically, happy to finally get moving.

"How is he?" Kono questions, pointing at a sleeping Danny.

"It's taking a lot out of him. The paralysis is progressing faster now. The last time he was awake, he could barely even make a sound. He tried really hard, but he tired really quickly," McGarrett filled the cousins in on their friend's condition.

"There has to be something the doctors can prescribe so he can get better," says Kono, full of concern and stroking Danny's leg.

"Once we know where the substance came from, then we can find something out about it." Chin is always the most hopeful of the team. Chin's phone rings and he leaves the room to answer it. Kono watches Chin leave, before noticing that Danny is awake.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" She could see the effort in Danny's eyes, but not a single sound came out of his mouth.

"Calm down; we're already working to find out who's been spreading the stuff," Steve tries to sound as calm as possible.

He looks at the heart monitor and sees that Danny's heart rate has increased. His eyes wander excitedly between Kono and Steve, back and forth. When Chin re-enters the room, he heads over to the window, and they both follow him, where he fills them in about the phone call just then.

"That was the NRL. About two years ago, there was a project with the intention of creating a gas that put the victim out of action. But a year ago, it was discontinued. They couldn't tell me anything else about it, because it was carried out in San Diego. A Dr Carter should be here soon."

"Have they said anything about the antidote?" Kono asks.

"No, not a word! Only that Dr Carter can help. I met Dr Yakani; he wants to come and check on Danny."

"I hope that this Dr Carter won't be too long," Steve remarks, full of concern for his friend.

A short time later, Dr Yakani comes into the room with a nurse. "Could I ask you all to wait outside for a moment? I'd like to examine Detective Williams." The three of them exit the room and head to the waiting room, a few doors away. Nervously, they take their seats and hope to be allowed back in the room quickly. Five minutes later, the nurse comes out of the room with two test tubes in her hands, and heads to the nurses' station. Shortly after, they see her as she comes back with a handful of sterile wrapped packets.

"It will be a while yet, but you can go back in soon," she tells them, before disappearing into Danny's room again.

Roughly 20 minutes later, Dr Yakani invites Steve into his office. "We have done a few tests to learn more about this type of paralysis. There is a suspicion that three other patients have been affected by this as well. All three are at a lesser stage, although the lab results are still not there."

"Do you think there is something that could resolve the paralysis?"

"Until now, we hadn't found anything, but it would really help if we knew where it came from."

"My team are working on that and a Dr Carter should be here soon," Steve replies.

"Good, but now back to the tests. First of fall, we took a blood sample and a swab of saliva to see if the substance was present there as well. We've now added a bladder catheter," the doctor tells him all the details.

"What are you not telling me?" Steve asks. "There is still something, right?"

"We think that, as his condition progresses, he next will not be able to open his eyes. After he lost his voice, he's been finding it hard to keep his eyes open. It will be very scary for him to lose that last contact with us, particularly because he is still in possession of full mental capacity."

"I'll make sure that one of us is always there with him."

As Steve returns to the hospital room, he signals to Chin and Kono with a slight head motion to follow him to the window. He informs them of what Dr Yakani told him. The doctor had also told him how they can read the monitors to see whether or not Danny is awake. When they realise that Danny is awake again, the three of them spread out around the bed and begin to talk to him. After each begins to talk to him, only to show Danny that he is not alone. Nevertheless, they all feel lost, as they cannot do anything for him. Kono is in the middle of talking to Danny, when a nurse comes into the room.

"Commander, Dr Yakani would like to see you in the conference room."

"I'm coming; thank you." Steve stands up and follows the nurse, throwing Chin a questioning glance.

When Steve enters the room, Dr Yakani is sitting in front of a large screen, on which a woman is seen wearing a white coat.

"This is April Summer, Dr Carter's assistant. She was about to tell me about the project in which the substance was manufactured," Dr Yakani tells him briefly and indicates a free seat next to him.

"Hello," nods the middle-aged woman and continues. "The order for the development was given three years ago. It should have created something that did not exist previously. However, we quickly found that it is too unpredictable and it is not possible to foresee the consequences. I could elaborate on this, but I don't know how much you would understand. It was shocking to see what it had done to animals. Therefore, we called off the tests. All remaining stock should have been destroyed."

"But they weren't?" Steve asked worriedly.

"Dr Carter's assistant at the time should have done that. We had assumed that it no longer existed."

"Perhaps he stole some of it?"

"We have strict safety regulations and control, but clearly if someone wants to smuggle something out, there is a way. I cannot guarantee it."

"How far was it tested on animals, and what was given to counteract the paralysis?" Dr Yakani asks, desperate to help his patient quickly.

"There were few animal tests and before an antidote could be made, the project was called off," the woman says, shaking her head.

"You're telling us that all the animals died from the experiments, and there's nothing we can do?" Steve asks in horror.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. All the animals died within 18 hours of the injection."

"Could you tell us the cause of their deaths?" Dr Yakani wants to know in order to be able to do something for Danny.

"The paralysis targeted the animals' respiration last, and that was the cause of death," explains April.

"Can Dr Carter tell us more about this?" Steve asks.

"Dr Carter is on her way to Hawaii, so I will speak with her and make sure that no time is wasted. Her plane should land at half past 12."

"I'll make sure that someone is waiting for her at the airport. An officer will bring her here immediately. And would you draw up a list with the names of everyone who worked on the project, please, as well as those who had access to it," Steve requests, hoping to find the culprit.

Suddenly, the door is flung open and the nurse runs in and shouts,

"Dr Yakani, Mr Williams is going into respiratory failure!"

"Thank you, Mrs Summer. I've got to go!" says Dr Yakani and rushes out of the room.


	9. Chapter 9

_Here the new chapter, I hope you like it and munch fun while reading._

**Chapter 9**

As Steve returns to the ICU, Chin and Kono are stood in the hallway by the room.  
"What's happening?" Steve asks worriedly, even though he knows what caused the commotion.  
"They want to intubate Danny and hook him up to a respirator. His breathing slowed down. What can we do now?" Tears of desperation gather in Kono's eyes.

Chin takes a step towards her and pulls her into a comforting embrace.  
"Danny is a fighter; he will make it!" he mutters in her ear. 

After the panic dies down, Dr Yakani comes out of the room, leaving a nurse with Danny.  
"You can go back to Danny again. Just quickly, though, before you go in, I have the results of his blood tests. They aren't showing a decrease in the substance."  
"Does that mean that it can't be metabolised by the body?" Kono asks, frowning.  
"Based on what Mrs Summer told me, the human organism can't metabolise it. This is a reason why it is so unpredictable and further experiments were not done," the doctor replies.  
"What does that mean for Danny and the others?" Steve is horrified at what the doctor has just told them.  
"I don't know. We can only hope that Dr Carter has a solution."

Dejectedly, with this prognosis, the three of them return to their friend. A quieter Danny is already alarming for them, but now with the tube in his mouth, everything just seems wrong.  
"Hey Danny, we're here again. You're doing great; just hold on a little longer. You are a fighter, I know." Steve grabs hold of the stool in the corner and sits next to Danny.

Carefully, he takes his hand, in the hope that the contact will make Danny feel better.  
"Boss, I'm going to go back to HQ and go through the files that Mrs Summer sent," Kono explains, just for something to do.  
"I'll head over to the airport, and bring Dr Carter here as soon as possible." Chin squeezes Danny's leg before following Kono out.

At HQ, Kono leans against the Smart-Table and looks at the files.

"There must be something here. Why would anyone make something like this? And how did it get to Hawaii?" Kono thinks aloud.  
While reviewing the documents, she notices that one member of the team resigned after the project was called off. She quickly opens the files on Dr Ted Cold to have a closer look at him.

At the airport, Chin waits impatiently as the plane lands. Everyone from the plane disembarks, and eventually, he sees the woman come from baggage collection. He goes over to her to speak to her.  
"Dr Carter?" he asks, uncertain of whether she is the right person.

As she nods, he carries on. "I'm Lt. Chin Ho Kelly. I'm supposed to bring you to the hospital."  
"Hello! How is the patient?" the middle-aged woman asks, straight to the point.  
Chin informs her of the situation, as they walk towards his car.

"We have three males who have just lost the ability to speak, and two females, one of which were recently admitted to hospital and can no longer open her eyes."  
"Wasn't there another one? One of your colleagues, right? Is he still alive?"  
"No, Danny was placed on a ventilator about two hours ago."  
"I want to see him, after I take a look at the lab results," she replies.  
"Is there nothing that can help work against the paralysis?" Chin asks hopefully.  
"Unfortunately, I don't have a miracle cure yet, Lt. I'm afraid that whoever took the substance is familiar in this area."  
"Can you imagine who could make something like this?"  
"There are many people who would be able to produce something like this. Do you think that it was someone from my team? I'd put my hand in the fire for any of them!"  
"Do you think maybe it was an outsider?" Chin suggests.  
"About four months ago, our computer system was attacked. It's possible that the data was copied then. So anyone who knew about synthetically-produced substances could have created this," Dr Carter explains.  
The rest of the journey is spent in silence, as they both follow their own thoughts about the case.

With his head down on his chest, McGarrett sits next to his friend and partner, as he had been for the past hour. So far, he can't see any sign that Danny is awake, although it is hard to see just by his heartbeat. With mixed feelings, he listens to the even hiss of the respirator forcing air into Danny's lungs.  
His thoughts fly wildly through his head: How can we help those affected? After the last announcement, five more patients were admitted. And that asks another question: What is he supposed to tell Grace?  
The last time he'd called her, he had told her that they'd had an exhausting day, and that he had fallen asleep on his sofa. So what should he tell her next time?  
He has a thought, but is disturbed by the ringing of his phone. With a glance at the screen, he sees that it is Kono.  
"Hey Kono. Do you have anything yet?"  
"I've been through all the files. All of the team are still working in the same department. There are no previous convictions or anything else that would indicate such behaviour," Kono fills him in.

"Two of them have tickets for illegal parking and speeding, but obviously, that's no reason for this sort of thing. One person I looked at in particular was a Dr Ted Cold; he left the NRL a year and a half ago. According to the last entry, he'd worked in a lab in Virginia, but was dismissed after six months. Since then there's absolutely no record of him whatsoever of where he lived or worked."  
"Why was he sacked?" Steve asks.  
"Employee theft. He had stolen parts of lab equipment and also…"  
"What he needed to make the synthetic substance," Steve interrupts her.  
"Right."  
"Was he not held responsible, then?"  
"He wasn't caught. He's still on the wanted list in Virginia. I'm going to see if I can find out when he could have come to the island. So far, facial recognition hasn't turned up any results."  
"Good work. As soon as you have something, call me!"  
"Will do, boss!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Steve hangs up and returns to the bed.  
"That was Kono. We've started to make a little progress. All you have to do is hold on, Danny. Do you hear me? You have to be strong for Kono, Chin and me. But most of all for Grace!"  
As he sits there, he sees a single tear from Danny's closed eye runs down his cheek. Close to tears himself Steve takes Danny's hand and squeezes it gently. Emotional and troubled, Steve is startled as the door opens and Chin comes in.  
"Dr Carter is with Dr Yakani. She wanted to discuss something quickly, before coming here," he explains.  
"Kono called me just now. She looked at a Dr Cold, who left the team after the project was discontinued. Has Dr Carter said anything about how Danny can be helped?"  
"If you believe that I could come here and just come up with a miracle cure, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you!" Dr Carter bursts into the room, closely followed by Dr Yakani.  
"Dr Carter went through the patients' files and thinks that it is the same substance as from the research project," the native doctor tells them. "Although…"  
"Although what?" Steve asks frantically. He is somewhat irritated that Dr Carter is a woman and not a man.  
"I think it has been further developed, in this effect, as well as the intensity."  
"Can you do you anything to help those affected?" McGarrett presses.  
"As I said, I don't have a miracle cure. Before we could develop one, the project was terminated."  
"How will it progress next?"  
"I can't say for sure. All the animals used in the project died at this stage. If I were to speculate, I would suspect that the heart or other internal organs will be affected next. I'm so sorry." Frustrated at not being able to help Danny or the others, the doctor shakes her head.  
During the flight, she had gone through the document, hoping to arrive in Hawaii with good news. But as much as she had hoped, she has no idea how to counteract the paralysis.  
"All that we can do is leave them on the ventilators for as long as possible. That will give us a little time. The biggest question is when is the brain damaged by this?" Dr Yakani wonders, worried by how little time they have to figure this all out.  
"Doctor, I would like to see the other patients," Dr Carter says.  
"We'll come back later," Dr Yakani tells the team and the two doctors leave.

Half an hour later, Chin and Steve are still sat silently next to the bed, as Danny slept on.  
"Steve, how about you take a little break," Chin suggests. "Go and get a coffee, get some fresh air. I'll stay here with Danny and if something changes, I'll call you."  
"It's fine; I'm okay," Steve replies, shaking his head. "This is all my fault!"  
"How did you come to that conclusion?" Chin asks, eyes wide with surprise. How could it be his fault?  
"I insisted that he go to the hospital after he was hit by the bar. If I'd just left it at that…" Steve's voice trails off, the helplessness overwhelming him, as the thought that he could have prevented all this gnaws at him.  
"You can't be serious!" Chin is perplexed by Steve's words.

"How could you have known this would happen? Besides, you know very well what could have happened if Danny hadn't gotten the vaccine; you just wanted to make sure he was all right." Chin shakes his head.

These two are always quick to blame themselves when the other is injured, he thinks to himself.  
"Yeah, but…"  
"No buts! You're taking a break and don't you argue with me!" Chin insists, unable to believe how stubborn Steve can be.  
"Fine, but when I come back, then you go home. That way, at least one of us can sleep comfortably. I mean, it is the middle of the night." With that, the SEAL stands up slowly.  
Deep inside, Steve is happy to escape this nightmare, if only briefly. His friends' and family's well-being has always stood high on his list of priorities, but this is something he'd never even considered.

Thirty minutes later, Chin gets on his motorbike. He'd made sure that Steve had eaten something and stretched his legs. As he leaves, Chin doesn't for a second think about going home, but instead heads towards HQ.

At half past six the next morning, Dr Yakani and Dr Carter come back into the room.  
"Good morning. That doesn't look very comfortable," Dr Yakani utters as he takes in the uncomfortable position in which Steve had been sitting in the seat.  
"I wanted to see how our patient is doing," Dr Carter tells him.  
"The night was very quiet, I think he slept soundly. How is this going to progress from this point?" McGarrett asks, remembering that he didn't get a proper answer the day before.  
"Honestly, I still don't know. It's been about 22 hours since the substance was administered, and all the test animals died by 18 hours. We have no idea what will happen next. I'm afraid all we can do is wait and hope for the best." Feeling disappointed, Dr Carter shakes her head.  
Never in his life has Steve thought that humanity would create something so deadly, and then not create an antidote. Would he have to sit by and watch helplessly as his partner and anyone else affected by this died?

As Danny's phone rings, the two doctors decide to go.  
"We'll come back later," Dr Yakani says as they leave.  
Steve glances at the screen and answers it.  
"Hey Gracie!"  
"Uncle Steve! Where's Danno? Why are you answering his phone again?" Grace asks in confusion. She'd expected her father to answer the phone.  
"Danno can't speak at the moment," the SEAL tells her quickly.  
"What's wrong with him? Is he ill?" Grace starts to sound worried.  
Steve had already thought about what he would say to her when she called, but now that he's speaking to her, it's not so easy.  
"Yeah, sweetheart, Danno is ill. Do you remember the last time you had a sore throat?"  
"Yeah. I couldn't eat anything at all. Swallowing hurt a lot."  
"Danno feels like that at the moment. The doctor's forbidden him from speaking, so I'm with him to make sure he doesn't."  
"But he'll be okay again, right?"  
"Of course, and you know what? If I give Danny the phone, you can tell him about all the fun you've had with your grandparents."  
"Yeah! Thank you, Uncle Steve!" Gracie is so excited to tell Danny everything she's done, that she can barely wait to start.  
McGarrett holds the phone next to Danny's ear after a quick glance at the monitor confirms he's awake.  
"Hi Danno! Uncle Steve told me that you can't speak. I hope you get better quickly. I miss you!" Grace doesn't pause as she speaks, hoping it would get her dad to say something. When she doesn't hear anything, she carries on.  
"Today we went to the zoo with Grandma and Grandpa, and it was so big that we almost didn't see all the animals. Charlie was a little afraid of the goat in the petting zoo, but I've been looking after him. They were so small and cute! At the weekend, we want to go up to Scotland, and Grandpa wants to show me the Highlands."  
Steve heard everything over the speaker and replies for Danny.  
"That's great, Gracie. We hope you have fun on your trip to Scotland. Say hello to Nessie for me."  
"Uncle Steve! Nessie doesn't exist!" Pretending to be annoyed with the idea that adults can be clueless sometimes, Grace smiles at the idea that a monster lives in a lake.  
"Are you sure?" Steve grins as well, as he imagines it.  
"Yes!" she counters convincingly.  
"Still, it will be a lot of fun."  
"Will you give me to Danno again?" Grace asks.  
"Sure. One sec." He turns off the speaker and places the phone next to Danny's ear.  
He can only think what the eleven-year-old has to say to her father.  
"I love you, Danno!" She pauses for a moment, hoping to hear those same words back to her.  
Grace barely speaks the words before Steve hears the heart monitor increase, and some tears run down his cheeks.  
"Danno, I have to go now, but I'll call you again soon. And listen to the doctor, so you get better soon!"  
"I'll pass that on to him, I promise," Steve says, raising the phone to his own ear again. He hears Grace repeat those words again: I love you.  
He can't help but be surprised by how caring the world is.

After Steve hangs up and has put his phone back on the bedside table, he sits back down and takes Danny's limp hand in his own.  
"I've said this before, but I'll say it again. The doctors are doing everything they can to figure this out. You need to calm down, Danny, because we don't know what effect this has on the heart."  
Slowly, Danny's heartbeat decreases, as does Steve's anxiety. He hadn't been sure if Grace would accept his little white lie.


	11. Chapter 11

Excuse for sending the wrong chapter, I hope I'm not become confused.  
So now with the correct chapter.

**Chapter 11**

For a while, Steve sits there and tells Danny what they will do when Grace is back, before his phone rings. Without looking at the caller ID, Steve answers it.  
"McGarrett."  
"Morning, Boss. It's Kono. We've got a hot trail concerning our Dr Cold. I spoke to his brother yesterday. While he hasn't seen or spoken to him in a long time, the last time they spoke, Ted told him that he'd received a job offer in Hawaii."  
"Then he's here on the island? But you said there was no record after he was dismissed!" Steve is struggling to follow Kono.  
"That's right. I went through the whole thing and I found him. He arrived six months ago under the name Norman Smith. He's using this alias to rent a farm outside the city, a multi-building one with a small lab set up where he wouldn't be disturbed. Like I said, he has a job as in IPM, as production manager in the Department of Vaccines," Kono explains. "Chin's just spoken to the lead representative and sent him the photo. He confirmed its Dr Cold. He couldn't believe Dr Cold could have done something like this; according to him, Cold is always punctual and reliable. Apparently, he's volunteered to take the night shift for the last three weeks."  
"So he could have made the vaccine there."  
"Exactly, because he could work during the nights in peace, since there's no-one else there. He was working last night, so he should be at home. Chin and I are going with HPD to arrest him."  
"If you come and stay with Danny, I'll go over there," Steve suggests.  
"We've already got Duke and his team coming with us. You stay with Danny, Boss; he needs you more."  
"Okay. Be careful."  
"Of course!"  
With that, they end the conversation and Steve leans back in the too hard chair.

A while later, Dr Carter comes back into the room and checks all the monitors, as well as all the connections.  
"Everything looks good," she begins, before stopping.  
"But?" Steve asks, hearing something strange in her voice.  
"The last urinalysis showed that his kidneys are being overstrained. We'll try and use LD12 to help his kidneys filter his blood. But it does not degrade the organism itself."  
"Can you be honest with me?" Steve asks. "What's next?"  
"We'll try and relieve the strain on his kidneys, as it would have serious consequences if they failed," she explains.  
Before Steve can say anything, a nurse comes into the room. "Dr Carter, Dr Yakani sent me. Patient McNeill has started to move. Please, come with me."  
"What does that mean?" Steve asks in amazement, looking at the doctor, already at the door.  
She turns her head to him. "We'll talk later; I have to go." She then left the room, leaving a confused Steve behind, unsure of what to make of this new revelation.

After another two hours, Chin and Kono arrive at the hospital.  
"Do you have Dr Cold?" Steve asks them, hoping for a positive answer.  
"Yes, but there is a problem," Kono replies, uncertain of how their boss will react.  
"What is it?"  
"There was an explosion," Chin says shortly.  
"Was anyone injured? Are you guys okay?" Steve asks worriedly, looking at their forlorn faces, as if they were somehow responsible for the accident.  
"We'd just arrived when there was an explosion in the basement. None of us were injured, but Dr Cold didn't survive. Plus, the whole lab is a mess, and all records there have been destroyed too. CSU are still trying to find something, but Charlie isn't hopeful that he'll find something on the computer."  
"Dammit! That was our last chance!" Steve slams his right fist into his left hand in frustration.  
"And now? How's Danny?" Chin noticed the deep worry lines on McGarrett's forehead.  
"His kidneys are causing a lot of worry. It looks bad, unless something happens soon," Steve admits.  
"No, I can't believe that. You're telling me that we should give up on him? That there's nothing that can resolve this stupid paralysis." Kono storms over to the window and stares outside at a little park in front of the hospital.  
"Kono, please. What can we do? Even Dr Carter doesn't know what to do, and she created this," Steve explains, trying to remain quiet.  
"Hey, do you have to do this here? Danny can still hear us," Chin interjects.  
"You're right. It's just that I don't want to believe that it's too late," Kono dejectedly replies, looking towards the floor.  
"I'm going to speak with Danny's doctor again. Can you stay here with him?" Steve asks his colleagues and stands up.

After Steve leaves, Chin sits in the now-free seat and starts talking to Danny encouragingly.

Steve slowly walks along the hallway until he reaches Dr Yakani's office. Before he knocks, McGarrett takes another deep breath and tries to sort through his thoughts.  
"Enter!" calls a female voice.  
Steve sticks his head through the door and sees Dr Carter is deep in files.  
"Dr Carter, I wanted to speak with you again."  
"Take a seat, please, Commander! I wanted to speak with you as well. As soon as I had checked something out, I was going to find you."  
"What did the nurse mean? McNeill can move again? Is he another patient?"  
"Yes, he came yesterday morning with the same symptoms. During the night, he slipped into the fourth stage. That's when the patients can no longer open their eyes," she fills him in, after a sigh. "In contrast to the others, this patient had developed an infection in the original injury. His fever rose to 107.5˚F, and a few hours ago, he started to move his fingers. Shortly before you came, I got the news that he's now able to open his eyes."  
"How so?" Astonished at the news, Steve looks expectantly at the doctor.  
"I would have come out much sooner. But I have assumed that it is much more effective at higher temperatures."  
"What do you mean?" Impatiently, Steve slides his chair forward.  
"The instability of LD12, in terms of heat. That means that, above temperatures of above 110˚F, it slowly loses effect," Dr Carter patiently tells him, although she would like to study the files some more.  
"What does that mean for the other patients?" Steve presses.  
"We have already started with a so-called whole-body hyperthermia therapy. It goes like this. The patient will lie in a special bed, where a UV lamp will increase their core body temperature. The next few hours will show if it works well or not."  
"Why can't we do that with Danny?" Steve demands.  
"107˚F, or even 108˚F, is in itself critical, but with his failing kidneys, this is extremely dangerous."  
"What do you mean?" Unsure of what the scientist is getting at, Steve looks at her.  
"Dr Yakani isn't sure whether we should risk it. A high temperature means a higher demand for fluids, which would overload Danny's kidneys."  
"How long would you have to maintain his temperature at a high rate?"  
"With McNeill, eight hours was enough before an improvement was seen. However, I have to mention that he was in a much lower stage than Danny. In his case, I would recommend a period of 24 to 32 hours to be sure. This would, however, be an enormous burden."  
"What is your honest opinion?"  
"I think that we don't have any other options. We have to do something soon, or his internal organs will start to shut down. It has to be said, of course, that there is a huge risk."  
"Why must his temperature be kept up for so long?"  
"The length is only estimated on the basis of the fact that the substance has already been in his system for over 24 hours, as well as the fact that his temperature will be increased artificially."  
"How high is probability that there won't be any permanent damage or consequences from this?" Steve is worried about the possible outcomes of this treatment.  
"Thirty to forty percent."  
Just like when he was in the SEALs, Steve quickly goes through every scenario to reach a decision. Leaving Danny himself is not an option. The possibility of seizures and brain damage is not much better. The doctor watches him intently as he comes up with an answer. You can easily understand it is for Steve to make a judgement on this.  
Steve raises his head and takes a deep breath before he answers. "I think we have no other choices. Danny will make it." He hopes he has made the right decision.  
"They want us to raise his temperature. You are aware of the risks, aren't you?" Dr Carter reiterates.  
"Yes, Doc, I am!"  
"Then I'll take care of everything and inform Dr Yakani. I will see you later."


	12. Chapter 12

Here's another chapter. Hope you enjoy it. Once again I would like to thank me at trishy fishy for translation. Thank you so much.

**Chapter 12**

Shortly after Steve returns to Danny's room, Susan comes in with a gurney and two other nurses.  
"We're going to move Danny so that we can start his therapy," she tells him and starts unplugging the equipment surrounding Danny, and replacing them with mobile monitors.  
Danny is skilfully moved to the stretcher and taken to the other room. Naturally, Steve, Chin and Kono follow behind her. Once they are outside the room, Susan stops and turns to look at the team.  
"Would you wait here for a moment, until we've set everything up?"  
They all nod, and Susan goes in and shuts the door behind her.

It doesn't take long before the two nurses who helped Susan come out of the room. Steve pushes the door open slightly and asks if they're allowed to come in.  
Susan nods, smiling at the three 5-0 members, and checks the monitors again. After making a small note in Danny's file, she turns to the prone detective.  
"Danny, we're going to start raising your temperature. We've put you in a special bed, which has a frame that holds foil around the edge to prevent any heat escaping. We'll proceed with small steps. You don't need to be afraid – someone will be with you at all times – but this is our only possibility at this moment in time."  
She carefully attaches the foil to the frame, and once it is done, she switches the lamp on and lowers the sheet, so that Danny's head is not irradiated.  
"Dr Yakani wanted me to explain to you what's going to happen. Right now, the temperature is at zero, but we will raise it by 0,9°F (5˚C) in an hour. This means that, in about nine hours, Danny's temperature will be at 108˚F. Once it's reached that point, we will keep it at that level for 24 hours. Of course, we'll still be giving him fluids and nutrients, but only to prevent dehydration. Every thirty minutes, I will check the temperature and change it, if need be. Also, every two hours, Dr Yakani wants to take a urine sample to check Danny's renal function."  
"When will we know if it'll work?" Steve asks, doubting whether this was really the right decision.  
"The docs think it could take as long as 20 hours. We just have to wait." With that, she leaves the room.

The three 5-0 members wait impatiently like a small child on Christmas for Danny to stir. Although it has only been a few hours and his temperature is only at 102˚F, they hope for a small sign that their friend is on the right track and will come back to them.  
They all flinch when a phone starts ringing. Chin realises it's his, and he jumps to take it, while Steve and Kono remain in their seats. Without a word, they sink back into their thoughts.  
Kono is close to tears as she constantly thinks back to the moment she noticed something was wrong with Danny. She had backed down and believed him when he had said that he was okay. God, if only she'd said something!  
Then the moment that she'd come into his office and found him lying on the floor… He had been terrified, eyes wide and unable to move. Would that be the Danny Kono would remember if he didn't make it? She quietly sobs to herself, still hopeful to get her haole back.

As if in a trance, Steve stares at the bed. Danny can sometimes be extremely exhausting, but nevertheless, he misses his rants and arguments where he's trying to demonstrate something. He swears that he will never again get upset or annoyed when Danny next goes off on another rant about whatever. The main thing would be that he'd be able to hold his partner, best friend and brother in his arms again.

With a disappointed look, Chin comes back in the room. He looks dejectedly at his colleagues and starts speaking.  
"That was Duke; CSU is finished now," he reports. "There is clear proof that he was producing the substance there. HPD were in IPM again, and have confiscated all the video footage. Apparently, it's clear to see that he exchanged a few cartons."  
"Did he have an accomplice?" Still worried, Steve does not even bother to look at his watch as he asks.  
"Duke doesn't know. The statements said that he was a loner. He never sought out contact with others."  
"But Dr Carter said that he was very affable; he was often with his colleagues and was loved," Kono argues, surprised and wondering why Dr Cold had done this.  
"Something must have happened," Chin shrugs. "No man can be changed just like that. I'll go back to HQ and look into the case again. Think about it further."  
"I'm coming with you! Is that okay, Steve?"  
Chin goes over to him, carefully placing his hand on his shoulder. "Steve, is everything clear? Is it okay if Kono comes with me?"  
Completely torn from his thoughts, the SEAL shakes his head slightly and quietly replies, "I'm fine… Well, I will be fine."  
Uncertain of whether he is really telling the truth, Kono decides to play it safe.  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah! I'm fine," Steve repeats, forcing himself to smile.  
"Okay. See you later, then. If something comes up, call me," Chin says, clapping Steve on the shoulder.

At HQ, Chin and Kono wrack their brains, trying to think of something, but they can't find anything that would suggest why Dr Cold would suddenly start producing such a drug. However, Kono suddenly begins to remember the conversation with the doctor's brother.  
"Didn't Dr Cold's brother say that he was divorced?" she asks.  
"Yeah, he did mention that," Chin remembers as well. "It was while he was still working at the NRL."  
"Maybe we should have a word with the ex," Kono suggests.  
With a few clicks, a picture of a dark-haired woman appears on the screen.  
"Mrs Ellen Cold. They married ten years ago, and had their first child in 2005, and three years, their second. Five years later, they got a divorce. Looks like it was a messy one, too; they've been battling over custody for two years," Chin reads. "Roughly half a year before he left the NRL, he lost the case for joint custody."  
"That could be our trigger," Kono says.  
"Possibly, but I still don't get it. Why harm others? Why wouldn't he just go straight for the ex-wife; the one who's hurt him?" Chin puzzles, not understanding Cold's reasoning.  
"Maybe he feels like everyone else is responsible," Kono theorises. "First, there was the divorce, and then his project was discontinued. Dr Carter said that, although they had the lead, Dr Cold had made the most progress on it. His marriage suffered through his work and has finally broken down."  
"That's actually a viable theory; worth checking out," Chin agrees. "It sounds very much like that could be our trigger."

Steve wipes the sweat from Danny's cheek with a cloth. He'd already started sweating from the heat of the treatment. A few minutes previously, Susan had left the room again to take a sample of Danny's urine up to the lab. Just like the last time, she'd told him that everything was fine.  
However, until Danny is able to tell Steve himself, the Commander can't help but still feel guilty. He still has some hope, ever since he learnt that McNeill is now on the mend, and the others have also been making good progress since the start of this treatment.  
Now the only condition that must change is Danny's.


	13. Chapter 13

Another chapter for all the nice read so diligently on. Thanks also to all who have left a review.

**Chapter 13**

Dr Yakani is speaking to Steve when Chin and Kono return to the hospital.  
"So far, we're happy with his renal function. While it has not improved, it has not worsened. Is it possible that you can all be present at all times? I would like to make Danny feel secure if he is with you."  
"Of course! When will the respirator be removed?" Steve inquires; even though he knows it is necessary in keeping Danny alive, it still bothers him. It shows how ill Danny is and that he would die as soon as someone turned it off.  
"It won't be used for longer than necessary. But at the moment, he still needs it. I know it's not easy, but I am confident that he will start to improve in a few hours," the doctor assures them.  
As Steve does not react or respond to that, Dr Yakani assumes that they have no more questions. Without a word, he turns and walks past Chin and Kono, who were standing in the doorway.

"Is everything okay?" Kono asks.  
"I don't know. I am happy that Danny's getting better, but…" Steve breaks off.

Chin and Kono know what he is trying to say, but it happens to be what he feels.  
"We know what you mean. Danny will be fine again soon," Kono says, trying to raise his spirits.  
"What did you find out?" McGarrett steers the subject back to the case, not wanting to talk or think about his feelings.  
"During and after the project, something went wrong in Dr Cold's life. He was so absorbed in his work that his marriage fell to pieces. After they had their baby, the project was discontinued. Apparently for him, it was like a whole world had shattered. He had always told his wife that he would show the world his work, and that, one day, he'd be famous," Kono tells him everything she and Chin learnt from speaking with Ellen Cold.  
"Unfortunately he has become famous," Steve murmurs. 

They fall into silence, sitting next to the bed. Even if they have nothing to say, they're sure that Danny knows they are all there for him. Every now and again, a nurse comes in and checks on her patient.  
After two more hours, they see what they have all been waiting for. Kono sits next to the bed, leaning on her arms with her hands close to Danny's. Lost in thought as she waits for any sign that Danny is improving, she starts when she feels a twitch of his fingers, even though the foil is still between them. She looks at him in shock.  
"Danny? Was that you?" she asks, hardly able to believe it.  
"Kono, what is it?" Chin and Steve look at her in confusion.  
"He just moved his fingers; I felt it."  
As soon as she says that, Steve is standing next to her, hoping to see it with his own eyes. Kono puts her hand close to Danny's, sending a quick prayer to the sky, hoping that she didn't just dream it.  
"Danny, it's Kono; I'm here. Can you move your fingers?" she begs, waiting for him to do so again.  
They all watch him, waiting for the movement. After a moment, they see the foil shift slightly as Danny moves his fingers. The team members watch, feeling relieved and with broad grins.  
"Yes, Danny, that's it! That's it, buddy!" Steve cheers.

He's so proud of his partner's fighting spirit, but still, he can hardly believe what he's seeing.  
"I'm going to get Dr Yakani," Chin says, already moving towards the door, as Kono continues trying to motivate Danny to move. He returns a few moments later with Dr Yakani and Susan in tow.  
Before they attend to this new progress, the doctor quickly checks Danny's records, while Susan pulls the foil down partway, so Dr Yakani can get a better look at him.  
"Danny, it's Dr Yakani. Can you squeeze my hand?" he asks, holding Danny's hand loosely in his own.

It takes a moment before Dr Yakani smiles at the movement. "That's great; well done," he praises the detective. "Danny, we're going to keep you here for a little longer, before we move you to a regular room. Just to play it safe," Dr Yakani explains.  
"Doc, what about his kidneys?" Steve asks still feeling concerned.  
"There's still no change yet, so we'll keep him in here for another hour or two."  
"Is he going to be okay?" Kono asks carefully, voicing what everyone is thinking.  
"Once I check on the others, I'll be able to say for sure. But I do think he'll be okay again." As no-one asks anything else, Dr Yakani turns back to Danny. "Danny, sleep is the best thing you can give your body. The fever does weaken the substance's effects, but it also weakens the body. So you need to remain calm and I will see you again in an hour." With a quick nod and a smile, Dr Yakani squeezes Danny's hand again.

Even though he isn't as close to the man as the Five-0 team are, Dr Yakani is still relieved that this part of the process is now done.  
Once Dr Yakani leaves the room, Susan covers Danny with the foil again. She checks the monitors one last time before leaving, as she has other patients to tend to.  
Steve sits in the free chair next to Kono. He quickly wipes away the tears that have gathered in his eyes.  
It's okay; we all feel the same," Chin whispers, standing behind them and clapping them both on the shoulder.


	14. Chapter 14

Here is the last chapter of my first H50 story. I hope you liked it, even if there were some large periods of time at the publication.

**Chapter 14**

As promised, Dr Yakani returns an hour later. Steve, Chin and Kono move back out of the way, creating some space for the doctor to examine Danny again. He turns off the lights, before removing the foil. As he doesn't know what Danny can and cannot yet do, Dr Yakani takes his hand in his own once more.  
"Danny, it's Dr Yakani. If you can hear me, squeeze my hand." This time when he asks, he doesn't have to wait long before he feels a stronger pressure than before.

"Well done, Danny; you're doing very well," the doctor praises him. "Can you try and open your eyes?"  
Tensely, they watch Danny's face, hoping to see those blue eyes again that they've all missed in the last few days. With a huge effort, Danny tries to open his eyes, but his body won't cooperate.  
"Come on, Danny! You can do it!" Steve encourages him.

They all wait with bated breath as Danny manages to open his eyes slightly.  
"Hey, welcome back," Kono greets him, as a collective sigh of relief goes around the room.  
"We're going to move you to a regular room, then we'll see if we can take you off the ventilator," Dr Yakani tells him, receiving another strong squeeze in response.

Another hour passes before the 5-0 team are allowed in Danny's room. While he was being moved and settled in, they had gone to the cafeteria to eat something. The sight that greets them, they never would have expected to see at the beginning of the day.  
Danny lies in his bed, slightly elevated, and with a nasal cannula for additional oxygen, but still breathing alone. An electric blanket has been wrapped around him, so that his temperature can be kept up a little longer. Medical equipment still surrounds the bed as well, monitoring Danny's vitals. With wide eyes, he looks at his friends and tries to smile at them, although not quite succeeding.  
Steve quickly moves to his best friend's side. In the time that he had sat silently next to Danny, so many things had gone through his mind that he'd wanted to say first, but now that the moment has come, he doesn't say any of it.  
"Nice to have you back," he says succinctly.  
"You look tired. Try and get some sleep," Kono suggests, able to see that Danny is struggling to stay awake.

Even though he is tired, Danny can't help but feel afraid that if he goes to sleep, when he wakes up, the paralysis will be back.

"Take a nap. You'll be fine now, Danny." Kono's voice is soothing and full of optimism, as she gently runs her fingers through his hair.  
Within minutes, Danny has fallen asleep again, and the three team members move back from the bed, sitting on the chairs by the small table. Deep in conversation, they barely notice the time, before a pack of doctors enter the room.  
"This is Detective Williams, from the Governor's Task Force, Five-0. He is one of the surviving patients, but he was hit with the worst of it. LD12 caused a complete paralysis of the muscles and respiratory system. Due to the stress, we were concerned about his kidneys, but since we started with the whole-body hyperthermia therapy, their values have stabilised," Dr Carter explains to the other doctors.  
"How is the paralysis now?" another doctor asks.  
"In the last several hours, the paralysis has receded. He should have his normal range of motion again within two days."  
"Do you know if there will be consequences of this?"  
"We don't yet know," Dr Carter replies. "So far, the blood tests have shown that LD12 loses its effect after heating and the ingredients are broken down. But as Detective Williams is already improving, I am assuming there are no after-effects."  
The group nod and turn to head back out of the room. With a puzzled look, Steve, Chin and Kono follow them. A nurse who had come in with the group quickly clears things up for them.  
"This is a group of scientists from the NRL in Washington. They're trying to determine whether the original project should be resumed," she tells them, before leaving the hospital room to re-join the group.

That evening, Dr Yakani returns to examine Danny again. While Steve had gone home to freshen up, Chin and Kono had opted to stay with Danny instead.  
"How are you feeling?" Dr Yakani asks, after studying Danny's notes.  
Danny swallows heavily, before answering. "Good."  
"Don't worry; with time, you'll find speaking easier," Dr Yakani reassures him. "Are you in any pain?"  
"No, just a bit sore."  
"That's to be expected, I'm afraid. If you do feel any pain, let a nurse know."  
"Okay," Danny nods.  
Dr Yakani tests Danny's range of mobility, and is pleased with it. "Excellent! I think that everything will be back to normal. Your kidneys are looking good as well, so I think we can take out the catheter now. Tomorrow, you shouldn't get up particularly, and when you do, make sure one of your team is with you," he explains.  
As soon as McGarrett returns, the cousins make their way back home. Although Danny thinks that Steve should go home as well and get some rest, he is secretly glad that he's not alone.

Danny is finally released a few days later. After numerous tests and scans, the doctors finally deemed Danny fit for release. Feeling relieved, Steve grabs Danny's bag, ready to bring him home. Still feeling somewhat tired, Danny moves towards Steve, noticing his facial expression.  
"What? What's with that face?" he asks.  
"I don't have a face!" Steve protests. "Everything's fine."  
"No, come on. I know you; what is it?"  
"It's just… God, Danny. I was so worried about you! I didn't know what to say to Grace, what-"  
"Hey, everything's okay now. You did the right thing," Danny reassures him. "Have I already thanked you?"  
"For what?"  
"For everything, man! Thank you for being here the whole time. I was just so fucked scared."  
"Any time, buddy," Steve smiles. "That's what brothers are for!"

**The End**


End file.
